GAO Rejects Cooperative Agreements Dodge
Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 08.27.12
On August 15, 2012, GAO sustained a protest by several housing agencies challenging HUD's attempt to obtain services through cooperative agreements, finding that HUD improperly avoided the procurement laws and should have awarded a contract. GAO's ruling serves as a reminder that agencies cannot avoid CICA requirements by using cooperative agreements (or inter/intra-agency agreements, which have also received recent attention for possible abuse) to avoid the competitive procurement laws.
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Client Alert | 4 min read | 09.15.26
GAO Indicates Reasonable Conflict of Interest Investigation Must Include Inquiry of Involved Firm
The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent decision in Viderity Inc.—Costs, B-424422.5, Sept. 1, 2026, offers useful insight into what constitutes a legally sufficient conflict of interest investigation. The decision arose in an unusual procedural posture: Viderity initially protested, alleging that an agency evaluator had a personal conflict of interest. After the agency took corrective action, Viderity filed a cost entitlement claim requesting that GAO direct the agency to reimburse Viderity’s protest costs. In evaluating that claim, GAO assessed whether Viderity’s underlying protest ground was “clearly meritorious.”
Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.15.26
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AI in Life Sciences: Ten Legal Considerations and Risks of AI Use in Drug Discovery and Development
Client Alert | 6 min read | 09.14.26
Mental Health Parity Bulletin Restates Best Practices for Evaluating Compliance
